Special feeling for 1973 alumni

MARBLEHEAD – Not since 1973, when the Sons of Alex Kulevich last accomplished it, did a Marblehead football squad win the Northeastern Conference title.Coaches Mike Fischer (1981-1982), Bruce Jordan (1983-1995), Kevin Callaghy (1996-1998), Jim Wilcon (1999-2000), Bill Manchester (2001-2004), and Doug Chernovetz (2005-2008) tried to bring NEC glory and another title to the school after Kulevich stepped down after the 1980 campaign, but the Magicians either came close with no cigar (under Jordan from ’83-92 and Chernovetz last season), or bottomed out completely (no winning seasons from 1993-2007).Bobby Jackson played on that ’73 club as a halfback, and is currently the Marblehead hockey coach. “Both teams had great quarterbacks,” he said about Brian Buckley who quarterbacked the ’73 squad, and current QB Hayes Richardson, who engineered yesterday’s game-winning drive over Swampscott in the 32-27 win at Piper Field, as well as the school’s first playoff berth. “In our game, we were ahead the whole way (a 20-12 win), while this year’s team had some hurdles to climb (allowing a 20-0 Big Blue run after holding a 26-7 lead). Both teams had great receivers as well, as we had Ralph Potman, Bill Sahagian, and Dave Knight. Hayes had plenty of them as well.”Richardson (14-26-0-254), who’s the most popular Hayes to hit town since ‘Purple Haze’ was making its way up the charts back in ’67, led the Magicians on an eight-play, 94-yard drive to give the team the lead with 1:01 remaining. He hadn’t completed a pass in the second half up to that point, but teamed with receiver Alex Haigis (8-143) for 30 yards to the Marblehead 36 A 31-screen pass to halfback Marcell Hardmon brought the team to the Big Blue 33, then Richardson teamed with Haigis for 15 yards to the 18. After a five-yard penalty pushed the squad back to the 23, Hardmon added runs of seven and three yards to create a 3rd-and-five from the 13. Richardson then calmly found Haigis in the back of the end zone with 61 seconds left to give the lead back to the Magicians.”I can’t even begin to describe this feeling (of the come-from-behind win),” said Richardson. “I didn’t get the chance to play in this game last year, but we were able to execute the plays (Richardson was 4-for-4 and 89 yards on the final drive) when we had to.”The quarterback described Haigis (a forced fumble/recovery after a 56-yard reception by the Big Blue’s A.J. Baker in addition to the eight catches and two scores), “He’s been huge for us all year on both sides of the ball. He was hurt for in the middle of the year, but has come up big for us, and made big plays today.”Magicians first-year coach Jim Rudloff stated, “Everyone made the plays on that final drive, and it was great play calling by (offensive coordinator) Mike Giardi. Alex (Haigis) had been hurting in the first half, but he came up so big for us every time. He was just lights out for us today.”This year’s group of Magicians hope to continue to work their magical spells in the postseason beginning with Tuesday night’s affair with Rockland. That would certainly create some new memories for the program, to be placed alongside those made by the ’73 squad.